03.07.2023
The Revd Tom O’Brien Appointed to Crinken
The trustees of St James’s Church, Crinken, have announced the appointment of their new minister. Following a comprehensive and detailed interview process, the Revd Tom O’Brien has been appointed minister in succession to the Revd Trevor Stevenson who retired earlier this year.
Tom brings with him a depth of experience having held senior positions within the HSE as well as from his time serving as a self supporting minister since his ordination in 2018.
Tom has served in a number of parishes in Dublin and Glendalough including in Howth as Deacon Intern and then in Holmpatrick and has provided cover in Kill O’ the Grange and Raheny and Coolock.
He is looking forward to this next phase of his ministry, which will begin in September, as he writes below:
“Life is a journey, so they say, and although I agree very much with this statement, somehow I believed that the path I was on, even with its slight bends and turns, was pretty straightforward. Six months ago, I saw myself mapping out a future in the Health Service, where I have been so happy for the past 30 years. But then, for several reasons, Dani and I felt that we needed to change our focus on life and that now was the time to listen to God afresh and consider what he had to say.
“As a Self Supporting Minister in the Church of Ireland, I have been so blessed, engaging with various churches in Dublin and Glendalough.
“I fondly remember my two–year deacon internship at St Mary’s in Howth. Canon Kevin Brew and his fantastic wife Rachel and their congregation taught me much.
“I returned to my home parish in Holmpatrick in 2018 and worked with my dear friend, the Revd Anthony Kelly, and the churches in Balbriggan, Skerries, and Rush. We had a fantastic time in the parish and worked with so many excellent and dedicated people who we will miss dearly.
“Last year, we spent several months in Kill of the Grange. It was such a privilege to work with Alan and Ruth and the volunteers and staff there. We were again exposed to so many new friends whose primary focus was on living as a community of faith and answering God’s call.
“We finally had the honour of working with the beautiful folk in Raheny and Coolock. Given that our two month stay was brief, we were both surprised that the people had such a significant positive impact on our lives.
“The Self Supporting Minister role opened the door to many experiences and diverse individuals. These encounters shaped the future path we are now encouraged to explore further.
“Our call to Crinken is a strong one. The Holy Spirit opened all doors pushed, and the O’Briens were ready for the challenge. The move involved significant life changes at a time when we felt all was going according to our plan. But, we know that ‘my thoughts are not God’s thoughts and His ways are not my ways’ … and plans changed.
“We met with the trustees and some members of Crinken and were quickly convinced that this is where new challenges will be tackled together in a spirit of faith and collaboration. There is no doubt that exciting things await all of us as we trust God’s leadership in our lives. I look forward to being part of this fantastic new community and to sharing the gospel of hope with the many in our community and beyond.”